Authors Note: Hello all! This is my first fic I'm ever posting online so I'm slightly nervous and I gladly accept reviews in what ways I can improve in my writing. The rating may change as time goes on, so I'm just going to leave it on T for now. Thanks for reading!
"Is the tiara really necessary?"Emma asked her mother as she stared at the obnoxious piece of jewelry that was placed upon her golden curls. The sun reflected off the pigeon egg sized diamond that was set in the middle of the intricate knots of gold that was inlaid with smaller rubies; it was delicate and subtle in its own way but was still enough to ensure everyone knew that she was the princess. And Emma thought that it just painted a large target on her back to draw more stares and gossip of the guests tonight.
"Sweetheart, it is your birthday and I won't make you wear it if you don't want to but-"
"I don't,"
Snow smiled down at her daughter in the mirror as she curled and pinned her daughter's hair into place. Emma lifted the crown from her head and gently placed it back inside of its fabric lined box in front of her. As she closed the wooden lid Snow could feel the tension ebb out of her daughter's shoulders.
Emma never really liked the pampered life of a princess, the life that her parent's fought so hard to give to her. When she was little she loved the pretty dresses and jewels and the idea of her own Charming coming to her rescue from an evil witch or dragon. But once James put a sword in her hand and Snow an arrow to notch, a strength came out of Emma that only came out of Snow when she and James had to fight for their love.
As her daughter got older the fair queen noticed how the ball gowns were traded in for breeches, the sparkling jewels for cuts and bruises after her daily sword fighting lesson. She became confused as any mother would be, her precious little girl was not acting as she; or any other princess she knew acted like. But she was still her Emma, and nothing could change that.
"There, all done," proclaimed the Queen. "I'm going to start getting ready myself. I'll have Joanna to bring you up something light for you to nibble on," Snow gently squeezed her daughter's shoulders and kissed the top of Emma's head and left her daughter to have some time to herself before the ball.
Once her mother had closed the heavy wooden door to her room Emma walked to her balcony and watched as servants lighted candles and placed garlands of flowers all over the court yard. Emma sighed as she looked down at the extravagance below, she wanted none of it. But it was her twentieth birthday and as her parents only child it must be celebrated in a big way. The whole thing made her anxious, she would understand if her parents had invited their closest friends to celebrate, but they invited royalty from all over the realm.
Kings and Queens from across the seas would be coming, and they all would be bringing their sons. Emma knew her parents would never force her to marry some random prince that she didn't know. But if she did manage to actually fall in love with one of them tonight she was sure they would not object. She knew her parents were concerned that their daughter would never find happiness with someone; when she was thirteen she once cried in her mother's arms after Pinocchio told her that no man wants to marry a girl that acts like a boy and she believed him for a time until she met him.
The sudden memory of him caught her off guard; her hand lightly touched the silver pendant that rested just above her cleavage. Her fingers traced the swan that was etched into the metal though she always wore it; it managed to stay cool to the touch and made her constantly aware of her past.
A soft knock came through the thick wooden door that entered her room. Joanna entered her room carrying a small silver tray with some fruit and cheese.
"Hello dear, your mother sent me up to make sure you've eaten something and to help you finish getting ready," she set the tray down on a small table and chair that sat close to Emma's bed, and went to her wardrobe and pulled out the rather large ball gown that she was to wear tonight. Emma walked away from the railing and back into her room to prepare for the night that she was dreading.
.o0o.
"Everything is ready Captain," exclaimed a panting Smee that had been running around all day, preparing the crew, and making sure everything was to his Captain's orders.
Killian Jones was in his Captain's quarters preparing for tonight. He had first heard of this extravagant ball some months ago. A ball for a princess' birthday; the only daughter of a King and Queen of a prosperous kingdom, and that every royal in the realm was invited to and a masquerade to boot. Sounded like the perfect setting steal some jewels from the throats and wrists of unaware princesses and senile old crones. Careful planning had gone into this plot; Some of his better looking, and more hygienic crew members would join him in disguise at the ball, with a few waiting in the shadow of the wood with a wagon to transport all of their prizes back to the Jolly Roger. And Smee along with a few other more trusted crew members would stay aboard the ship and have her ready to set sail upon their return.
"Well done Mr. Smee," said Captain Hook and he locked the fake hand into place. He straightened the cuffs at his wrists and had Smee assist him and securing the cape around his shoulders. He placed the large and rather ridiculous red hat with golden embroidery trim and a large feathered plum that matched the rest of his garb and the final piece to his disguise, a mask, the same shade of red of his costume with a golden design around the eyes and the edges. It covered only half of his face but he still could not tell that it was he who looked back in the mirror.
"I leave you in charge Smee; I should be back before sunrise. Be ready when I do,"
"Aye aye Captain," they left Hook's cabin and ascended the stairs to the deck where the others going with him were preparing to depart. They Jolly Rodger had been hidden beneath a rock formation that looked over the open ocean, and the cliff was the farthest point of the coast for several miles, so the ship went unseen. The sun was an hour or so from sunset, that gave them ample time to arrive outside of the palace and set everything into place.
"C'mon lads it's awfully rude for guests to be late," Jones and three of the crewmen going with him that were still aboard got into the long boat and began to row toward shore where the other three member of their party were waiting.
Once ashore Will Turner, a young and handsome lad that had joined his crew at Tortuga who was eager to learn and follow orders, was keeping the horses steady before they left. He was clad in a long navy blue coat with silver trim and sash draping from his left shoulder to right hip, black breeches and shining black boots, his brown hair had been cleaned and slicked back into a silver ribbon and his jaw cleanly shaven.
"Captain," said Will as Jones approach; handing him the reigns to his white horse that had been saddled already.
"Thank you Mr. Turner," Killian mounted the horse and turned to his men.
"Gentlemen, I, Mr. Turner, Christian, and Oliver shall be amongst the guests. Stealing gold and jewels and when we can hold or hide no more we will hand them off to Fritz and Tom who will take what they given through the servant passages to the wagon where Mr. Gibbs will stay hidden with the wagon. Is this clear to everyone?"
"Aye aye Captain," came the reply of his crew, and they were on their way to the castle.
"I hear the princess that this party is for is the most beautiful princess in all the land," stated Christian. "That fact has nothing to do with us going does it Captain?" Hook eyed him atop his gray steed. Christian was all in gold brocade, the high collar of his jacket drew the eye to his square jaw line, he left his long black curls tussle about his shoulders in the wind, his brown eyes with flecks of amber, mocking behind the white mask.
"You mean the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White, the fairest of them? The girl is probably as silly and air-headed as all of the other princesses that I have come across," there would be plenty of princesses at this ball tonight, some beautiful and some not so, but all of them would be wearing the prettiest jewels their kingdoms can offer.
"This princess is probably being made to dance with suitors all night, princes from all over who are after the same thing, her money, her title, and her tits," pointed out Oliver, the youngest of their party. Jones found him below deck one day aboard the Roger, hiding amongst the provisions; he was a boy of twelve then, now a young man of seventeen. His light blond hair was closely cropped the blue shade of his eyes, so light they blended in with the whites of his eyes. He wore a tight black leather jacket leaving the collar open to reveal the white of his under shirt, a black cape that was red underneath billowed behind and secured by an intricate gold chain inlaid with garnets and jet.
"Poor lass," replied the Captain in a bored tone. "Come on men, we must quicken our pace," they drove their horses into a quickened gallop spying the tops of the towers of the castle in the last remaining gleam of the sun's rays.
.o0o.
Joanna was placing the jeweled fascinator into her hair when her father entered her room. Her father, born the son of farmers and turned into a prince who was now a king; only her mother and Emma knew the truth of who he really is. Just like her, King James felt awkward at large gatherings with other nobility, dressed in his finest. Tonight will be hard for him she knew; because with all the royals coming from all over many with their sons and heirs and other lords of sorts to try and seek her hand. Emma's parents had always made it known that their daughter only had to marry for love not titles or security, but that did not stop others from trying to push her into their direction for her favor.
Emma's blond hair curled lightly over one shoulder, her dress was white and appeared to wrap around itself as her skirts puffed out from her waist, to make a small train behind her. She wore white gloves made of the same material that went slightly higher than her elbows, the only jewelry Emma wore was two small rubies that dropped from her ears on tiny silver chains, the silver pendant that she always wore around her neck and the fascinator attached toward the back of her head with small diamonds and rubies place into the design of the silver metal work.
"You look beautiful Emma," said her father with a proud smile on his face.
"Thank you," she replied returning the smile with a small one of her own. "Thank you, Joanna that will be all,"
"Yes princess," Joanna gave a slight curtsey to Emma and her father and left them. Once she closed the door James approached his daughter and held out a rather long box for her.
"Happy Birthday Emma, this is for you," he handed his daughter the carved wooden case; it was heavy whatever it was. Emma walked over to her bed and sat the case on it, she looked towards her father.
"What is it?"
"Something your mother doesn't need to know about,"
Emma opened the lid and inside was a sword, the handle silver; no jewels encrusted just little designs all over. Simple yet beautiful in Emma's eyes.
"She would kill you if she knew you gave this to me," she walked over to her father and gave him a hug.
"I know," James said with a laugh. "In all honesty, I would want you to wear it tonight so that all those vultures would stay away from you." Emma laughed at her father's jape toward all the painted peacocks of the night's expense. James kissed his daughter's cheek, and Emma went to hide away her beloved present; the first of many she knew, but more than likely be her favorite. She slid the case beneath her wardrobe to where you would not be able to see it, unless you were looking for it.
Her father gave her his arm. "Come milady, the night awaits us," James smirked at his daughter. Emma picked up her white lace mask with white feathers and red ribbon attached to the silver painted wooden handle. She took her father's arm, and closing her bedroom door, preparing for this ghastly night to begin. As they walked down the hall, the final golden rays peeked over the horizon; the sky went from gold to pink to the deep purple of the night sky. And a new type of anxiousness set into Emma's heart, like something wonderful was going to happen tonight and it wouldn't be as bad as she thought.